9oz Sheath Leather

trentu

trentu

Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
1,120
Anyone have a cheap source for large sections of hide. I use to get it off ebay but didn't find any reasonable priced hides. Tandy sheets are way too expensive. Thanks all!!
 
I agree that Wickett & Craig are very good.

I have been getting outstanding 9-10 oz double shoulders for about $4.99/sq ft for the last couple of years from:
R.L. Cox Fur and Hide CO
708 First Street NW 505 242 4980
Albuquerque, NM

I don't think they are online. They will ship same day on phone orders.

Their leather has been consistantly excellent. It is unblemished, supple and tools very well.
 
I've used Wickett & Craig for a number of years now..
and I think the total of my last order was just under $350.00 about a month ago..
but that was a 25 q/f side of light tan/brown and a 23 Q/F of black..
like $6.00 bucks a square + s&H and some other charge they are charging now.:confused: . there are getting up there.. the good thing is I'll have them take about 6 feet of the bellies and split them to 7oz and buff it, they've been doing that for me for free.. :) you get rid of the fuzzy part that way and make it useable,,that can use it for panels and keepers and that sort of stuff..

steve do your guys carry light tan/brown and black ?
 
Good leather is not expensive when you consider the alternative. The cheaper (less expensive) leathers are so for a reason, they are inferior in quality and should not be foisted off on your customers---if it is your intent to keep them. At the present time I consider Wickett & Craig leathers to be superior to most any on the market---pricey by yesterday's standards but best buy in this time and age. As a rule, "sale priced" leathers are something that the retailer wants the h-- out of his establishment! And I do NOT want in mine! ---Sandy---
 
Hey Sandy how you been? it's good to see you posting..:thumbup:
you ring a lot for truth there friend..

guys we can't discount our own time either
and as Sandy says for one thing loss because of bad places in some cheaper leathers add up..
but I do sympathize with the guys that just can't buy a bunch to help keep prices down .. that shipping is getting so it's a killer too:( :)

I've seen some of the other guys that doesn't sell the leather in Black and brown
that's why I asked Steve if his out-fit does,, being pre dyed makes things a lot easier for the bulk of the sheaths that I do,not to mention Dye cost money also and to ship it, so that's worth a bunch to me in my way of thinking.. :)
 
Dan, does having the leather pre-dyed affect things such as wet moulding, stamping or tooling ??
 
rocketmann said:
Dan, does having the leather pre-dyed affect things such as wet moulding, stamping or tooling ??
Click to expand...

no problems on what I get from W/C it doesn't bleed either, make sure you get the vegie taned, if you don't know already..:) tools and stamps great..
the dye runs almost to the center so you will need to dye the center
(the edges)
but I don't on some of them it looks pretty cool if bunished just right.
 
Howdy Dan -
I've been using mostly Wickett & Craig for better than 10 years now. Like Sandy I pay the premium for their backs. Backs are the cleanest of all the cuts (the flesh side is void of any flankiness), have little stretchiness, and there is NO belly leather - in the long run for me it's no more expensive than the sides since there is no belly, therefore less scrap........
Like the others here have said - buying the best quality of leather possible is really "cheaper" in the long run...easier to work and less problems

BTW - The W & C chestnut color will bleed if not sealed properly........for those looking for a nice, reddish brown though it does eliminate the dying stage. For the infrequent times I want black I use the traditional vinegar and iron (aka ferric acetate) reagent stain which turns leather a beautiful black and WILL NEVER bleed since it is a chemical reaction between the ferric acetate and the tannin in the leather. A few "tricks" are involved, but nothing difficult, and the end product is great.

While I do love the W & C leather, I will most likely checkout those shoulders though that Steve mentioned since it will save on shipping and is overnight to me.
Speaking of saving on shipping, for those in the central states and areas west, Mid-Continent Leather in Coweta, OK (800) 926-2061 carries Wickett & Craig and sells it for the same price as the tannery - just be sure and ask for W & C.........They also carry the full line of Fiebing's dyes/finishes and C.S. Osborne tools.

Chuck Burrows, Wild Rose Trading Company.......www.wrtcleather.com
 
for learning , Siegels of Ca has a decent price on leather , though dying it any color other than black is a crap shoot. But the price is right for learning on.
 
Dan Gray said:
I've used Wickett & Craig for a number of years now..
and I think the total of my last order was just under $350.00 about a month ago..
but that was a 25 q/f side of light tan/brown and a 23 Q/F of black..
like $6.00 bucks a square + s&H and some other charge they are charging now.:confused: . there are getting up there.. the good thing is I'll have them take about 6 feet of the bellies and split them to 7oz and buff it, they've been doing that for me for free.. :) you get rid of the fuzzy part that way and make it useable,,that can use it for panels and keepers and that sort of stuff..

steve do your guys carry light tan/brown and black ?
Click to expand...

Dan

I don't really know about colors. I just buy the natural light brown-russett? They are in a big old warehouse with narrow aisles between floor to ceiling shelves full of so much stuff it boggles my mind. I am sure they will be glad to answer questions. They are very nice people to deal with, just a little behind the times as far as the internet goes.

Wickwtt and Craig is hard to beat if you have the bucks. R.L. Cox is a great place for my rate of buying leather-generally a couple of double shoulders a year. They never showed me any other grade of leather than what I have bought, which is far better than Tandy level second grade stuff at higher prices.
 
Thanks Steve
I think I've only bought the sides out of habit I guess,

well it's time for me to up grade Chuck, and see what happens :)
I've never bought the chestnut so thanks for the heads up on that one bleeding..

for a few years now I've had good use for 7oz leather for the marbles reproduction sheaths I make so I figured splitting the bellies to just 7oz would make the bellies more useful it's worked well so far with little waste, and little to no fuzz :) or flankiness left, at that thickness if I got the meaning of the word right. :o
as you may know the old marbles sheaths had no welt in them so they can use a little stretch anyway :o :D
http://www.kynd.com/~graydg/leather-sheaths-marbles.html

Chuck what's the average footage in the backs, if you'd be so kind?
 
I'm no expert on the subject as I've just begun trying my hand at leatherwork. But so far I've found joining the Tandy wholesale club has paid off pending you keep an eye out for the sales. Just finished my first hawk sheath last night actually except for some cosmetic work that still needs doing. Cheers.
-Lindey
 
Chuck what's the average footage in the backs, if you'd be so kind?
Click to expand...
Mine have been 18-20 sq ft on average, with 22 being the largest.
You can have them split to thinner size at no extra cost, although for the 3/4 oz splits I usually get the less expensive sides split - these I use use for linings and old west gun/money belts - being split it eliminates all the "fuzzy's" and I can use the belly section for glued on linings where strength is not a real issue....
 
i will probably get ragged for this but here it goes i do use the heavy weight lifting belts for some sheaths. the all tanned leather ones. you can pick them up new on ebay for next to nothing:thumbup: :thumbup:
 
So then trying to grasp what section of the hide is what you want for best quality, looking at the W&C website... A good choice would be the harness back cut in standard grade? I definately dont want to waste $150 on leather that is not right for sheath making.
 
Buy leather that is equal, in grade, to the quality of knife you are making.There's no need to spend the big money, if you are just beginning.
That said, choosing, a lower grade leather when you can purchase really beautiful hides to work with, is not worth the few dollars, per sheath, that it cost you.
Good quality leather is a joy to work with.

Fred
 
Thanks Dan, for the kind words! As most of you know, I have been beating the crap out of cowhide for over 60 years now. Although I have been around a lot longer than Chuck, I still look up to him for advice. The fact that I idolize him and his sweet wife, Linda, has no bearing on the respect I have for the knowledge he possesses. Dan, too, is very knowledgable, and I value his input and experience. I think that W&C leathers are one of the cheapest investments in material that you can find other than some of the finer European leathers which are priced "out of sight"! It is true, however, that if you are just starting to work leather, that a cheaper grade of double shoulders will do very nicely. Although I am not a fan of Tandy or the Leather Factory, they occasionally have a reasonable sale on Mexican double shoulders.. Some of this is fairly good, some is almost waste---you pay your money and take your chances! They refer to these shoulders as North American which is technically correct as Mexico is in that continent. Having been burned a few times, I now buy leather tanned in this country of US hides. ---Sandy---
 
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